Applying to the Graduate Program in History

Before applying, we recommend that you first look over the list of faculty, perhaps explore the publications of those you find particularly interesting, and write them to gauge interest in working with you.

We only accept application for fall admission; the deadline for submitting a complete application is January 1st. While we may accept some delayed materials after that date, such as transcripts or test scores, we cannot guarantee consideration of any materials submitted after the deadline.

Please include the following:

1. Official transcripts from all schools attended. (whether or not a degree was received)

Your transcript(s) must meet the following criteria:

Cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 for your entire undergraduate career OR

Grade-point average of at least 3.0 for your last two undergraduate years OR

Grade-point average of over 3.5 for your final undergraduate year

In addition, any graduate work must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0.

3. Personal statement. Successful personal statements are generally 750-1000 words long (1-2 pages single-spaced). Think of this statement as a focused argument that draws together the evidence of your interests, experiences, and achievements to make a case for your candidacy for graduate study. You should concisely explain why you are drawn to graduate study, what problems or areas you particularly would like to work on, and what kind of scholarly approach you envision taking. The most successful statements are specific about intellectual interests and (at least lightly) engaged with recent scholarship or debates. Feel free to interweave personal experiences or striking anecdotes, keeping in mind that your ultimate purpose is to persuade faculty of your skills as a writer and historical thinker.

4. Three letters of recommendation. These should be from professors or scholars who know you and your work well. The best letters will speak to your intellectual capability and ambition, as well as drawing on the broader evidence of your employment, education, and other interests. Letters from employers or colleagues can be useful, but be sure that at least some letters speak to core issues of scholarly thinking and writing.

5. Writing sample. For this you should submit a polished piece of writing that showcases your skills as a researcher, analyst, and writer. This may be a published article, a research paper, or something else. The writing samples we find most useful for evaluating your potential as a historian include strong historical arguments, clear engagement with scholarly literature, and thoughtful use of primary/ archival sources. The optimal writing sample is 10-20 double-spaced pages in length. If you feel your best work was done in a longer format, such as a thesis, please submit both a shorter excerpt for our evaluation and the complete work for reference.

Additional information for International Students:

Proficiency

If you are an international student who is not a native speaker of English, you should submit evidence of your proficiency in the English language. Any of the following standardized test results (if no more than two years old) satisfy this requirement:

International students are exempt from this requirement if they meet the following conditions:

Received a degree from an international post-secondary institution whose language of instruction was English. Official documentation is required.

Completed one or more years of full-time post-secondary coursework in the United States, with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

If you are not a native speaker of English, and you plan to obtain a teaching assistantship, you must satisfy UConn’s English Proficiency Policy before being allowed to instruct a class. For more information, please contact International Teaching Assistant Services